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    Bourbon's waiting

    Southfork Ranch lets Dallas fans live like Ewings with first-ever overnight stays

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    Sep 2, 2019 | 1:00 pm

    Superfans of the iconic TV show Dallas can now sleep where J.R. slept — sort of. For the first time, the show's famed Southfork Ranch, 265 miles north of Houston in Parker, is allowing guests to book overnight stays and live like a Ewing, with access to the entire mansion and pool.

    "The legendary Parker, Texas, ranch — home to countless Ewing family showdowns — provides the perfect place to reminisce about the many memorable moments J.R., Sue Ellen, Bobby, and Lucy Ewing delivered to captivated fans around the world during the show’s 1970s and 80s heyday," a release says.

    Southfork provided the famous backdrop for both the series and its reboot, which aired on CBS from 1978-1991 and TNT from 2012-2014, respectively. Though interior scenes were filmed in California studios, exterior shots were filmed on location at Southfork for many years of production.

    Decades later, "the most famous ranch in Texas" continues to attract thousands of visitors from around the world each year for tours of the property, which is not only home to the fictional Ewings but a shrine to '80s excess.

    On guided tours of the mansion, guests see the gun that shot J.R., Lucy's wedding dress, the Dallas family tree, and Jock's Lincoln Continental.

    But staying at the 5,900-square-foot house overnight means the chance to live out dreams as big as Dallas: to wake up where J.R. and Sue Ellen (or any number of his mistresses) did, to swim in the pool where family members got dunked (and occasionally turned up dead), and to check for Bobby returning from the dead in the shower.

    An overnight stay has been offered just once before — to mark the show's 40th anniversary in spring 2018. The new package is available for future bookings any time, a representative for Southfork confirms.

    "This overnight stay makes an unforgettable romantic getaway, proposal, wedding night, anniversary, or other special-occasion opportunity," the release says.

    Of course, the Ewing experience doesn't come cheap. Accommodations are $1,978 a night for two oil barons people, with $400 for each additional guest, up to a total of six people.

    Here's what's included:

    • Access to the entire house and pool
    • Optional trail ride
    • Sleepover in the famous bedrooms of J.R. Ewing, Bobby Ewing, and Lucy Ewing
    • Private tour of the mansion and ranch
    • Champagne and hors d’oeuvres followed by “J.R.’s Steak Dinner”
    • Screenings of “Dallas” in the Ewing living room with popcorn and snacks
    • A home-cooked Texas breakfast at the Ewing family poolside patio table
    • Official Southfork wine glass souvenir

    The entire ranch sits on 357 acres of groomed ranchland and includes the Ewing Mansion, Southfork Ranch Event and Conference Center, Miss Ellie’s Deli, and dozens of peacefully grazing Texas longhorns and American Paint horses.

    For more information, visit the Southfork Ranch website.

    For the first time, guests can book an overnight stay at Southfork.

    Southfork Ranch
      
    Photo courtesy of Southfork
    For the first time, guests can book an overnight stay at Southfork.
    tvluxurytexas
    news/travel

    Texas traditions

    5 essential tips for tubing on Texas Hill Country rivers this summer

    Jef Rouner
    May 27, 2025 | 1:30 pm
    Floating the Guadalupe River is a quintessential Texas summertime activity.
    Floating the Guadalupe River is a quintessential Texas summertime activity.
    Floating the Guadalupe River is a quintessential Texas summertime activity.

    Tubing is one of the ultimate summer activities in Texas. Floating down the Guadalupe or Comal rivers while enjoying the scenery and the cool water is a perfect way to spend a hot afternoon. Thousands of people travel to New Braunfels, San Marcos, and the San Antonio area every year to tube, but it's not without dangers, rules, and guidelines that should be observed by regular tubers and newcomers alike. Here are five essential tips to heed before you set off down the river this summer.

    Disposable food and beverage containers are illegal
    The image of a Texan bobbing down the river with a six-pack of beer in a floating cooler might be emblematic of the state, but it's also no longer legal in New Braunfels. The city's Disposable Container Ordinance is in full effect, and those who break it risk a $500 fine. The ban includes aluminum cans, plastic water bottles, fast food containers, napkins, and anything designed to be thrown away after a single use. Instead, tubers should use insulated bottles, reusable food containers with snap-on lids, and canteens. Keeping the rivers clean from trash is how future generations will get to enjoy tubing.

    A reminder: beer bongs do not count as reusable drinking devices.

    Do not bridge jump
    Yes, we know Steve-O jumped off a River Walk bridge in 2014 and was more or less physically fine, but he was very lucky. The rivers are only a few feet deep in some places, and may have sharp rocks lurking just below the surface. It's illegal to bridge jump, and it can cost a $500 fine if you do it. Steve-O faced several criminal charges for his stunt. Only enter the river at safe docking points.

    Consider a professional tubing company
    Legally, you can tube down any river and launch from all public access points. That said, tubing can be dangerous for weak swimmers or the inebriated. The best way to ensure your safety is in numbers and with good equipment provided by professional tubing companies. Several are around Central Texas rivers, including Texas Tubes, 444 Tubing Company, and Texas State Tubes. Better yet, they offer shuttles to get you back to your car after the tubing is done.

    Make sure sunscreen's waterproof
    River water is colder than a Winter Olympic judge's heart, but that doesn't mean the sun is not still something you need to be wary of. Climate change means hotter summers and brighter days in Texas, and the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) reports sunburn and other sun damage to skin is on the rise, particularly in younger populations. Unprotected skin and eyes can result in painful burns and even skin cancer. Make sure you bring sunglasses, hats, and waterproof sunscreen.

    Waterproof your electronics
    It's an age of social media clout, and what looks better on Instagram than an idyllic float down a river? Capturing that perfect video is not worth losing your devices and polluting the river. Invest in floating, waterproof cases, and get a lanyard so they can tube on down the river themselves if you drop them. Just as many theme park accidents happen when guests wander into dangerous areas looking for dropped items, splashing after a device in a panic is a good way to make potentially deadly mistakes. Plan ahead, and a trip on the river can be much safer and more fun.

    guadalupe rivercomal riverwatersportssummer activitiesnew braunfelstubing
    news/travel
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